This disclosure generally relates to stripping optical fiber coatings and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for non-contact stripping of optical fiber coatings.
Optical fibers are useful in a wide variety of applications, including the telecommunications industry for voice, video, and data transmissions. In a telecommunications system that uses optical fibers, there are typically many locations where fiber optic cables that carry the optical fibers connect to equipment or other fiber optic cables. To conveniently provide these connections, fiber optic connectors are often provided on the ends of fiber optic cables. The process of terminating individual optical fibers from a fiber optic cable is referred to as “connectorization.” Connectorization can be done in a factory, resulting in a “pre-connectorized” or “pre-terminated” fiber optic cable, or in the field (e.g., using a “field-installable” fiber optic connector).
Regardless of where installation occurs and the type of connector used, stripping of optical fiber coatings is typically an important step in terminating optical fibers in preparation for installing connectors. For both factory and field installations (and especially the latter), an inherently accurate and robust coating stripping tool can be of particular importance because the technicians or operators making the installations may have varying amounts of relevant training or experience.
A bare glass fiber and a 250 um coated optical fiber may appear indistinguishable to untrained eyes. Therefore, mechanical stripping can be challenging due to visibility issues. In addition, mechanical stripping may cause direct contact between tool blades and bare glass, which can cause flaws in the optical fibers and reduce their tensile strengths. Such flaws and reductions in tensile strength may be restricted through the use of non-contact stripping methods and apparatus. However, at least some of the non-contact stripping methods and apparatus are better suited for manufacturing settings rather than field settings and/or have other disadvantages.
There is a desire for fiber stripping methods and apparatus that provide a new balance of properties.